Despite Storm OC Clerk’s Office Prepares For Nov. Elections

You're going to want to review your sample ballots prior to election day November 6th. Ocean County Clerk Scott Colabella says this November's ballot is particularly big with lots of new elements. He says not only will Ocean County voters be choosing a President ... they'll be voting for three Congress Members instead of two in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th legislative districts and five towns that once held their nonpartisan elections in the Spring will be on this November's ballot. "So Manchester, Jackson, Long Beach Township, Island Heights and Beach Haven will have Municipal Elections on the ballot. In addition, School Board Candidates will be appearing on the ballot."

Colabella says voters will also be selecting U.S. Senate Members, the County Sheriff and two Freeholder seats, a host of local races and two state public questions. He urges registered voters to review sample ballots before going to the polls. Ballots are going out in the mail now and they can be viewed right now online at the Clerk's web site at www.OceanCountyClerk.com.

Hurricane Sandy is also having an impact as the Clerk's Office prepares for the upcoming elections. Colabella says they've made arrangements to work out of the County Administration building should the power go out at their offices. He says they're also working closely with the County Board of Elections. "To make sure that voting machines aren't in harms way in our Island communities where flooding is a potential because as you can imagine a week before an election we're delivering equipment."

Colabella says the County and his office made history last week. He says on Friday October 26th "this Presidential election we've issued more vote-by-mail ballots than have ever been issued in Ocean County history. Our count as of today is 24,260 and several thousand more are expected."

The Ocean County Clerks Office plans to offer extended hours. On Thursday November 1st & Friday November 2nd The Ocean County Clerk's office will be open until 8 p.m. or voters that still want to vote by mail. They'll also be open Saturday November 3rd from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m

Colabella wants to remind everyone that Tuesday October 30th is the last day his office can receive in the mail an application for a vote-by-mail ballot. After that date, every eligible voter must come in person to their Toms River office to get a vote-by-mail ballot and the deadline for that is Monday November 5th at 3 p.m.

Voters can get help from the Ocean County Board of Elections at 1-800-452-5254 and if there are questions related to voting by mail ... the County Clerk's Office is 732-929-2018.

Election Day is November 6th. There are 383,000 registered voters in Ocean County.